"Unfortunately, these are the same connections we are trying to move our young men away from. It's dangerous."
He pointed to New Zealand's record of gun violence. In the past year, police recorded 22 assaults with guns, nine attempted murders and six murders. But Gardiner pointed out these figures were only a hint of the prevalence of gun violence. There were 82 recorded cases but many more would have gone unreported.
Gardiner also criticised the message the products gave children. "Kids make these connections. When they see their role models sitting there drinking alcohol from a gun-shaped bottle, they think all these things are cool."
The NZ Mountain Safety Council's firearm programme manager Mike Spray said selling alcohol in such bottles was irresponsible.
"It's sending the wrong message. Why are they doing that? It's not good."
In a statement, Chrisco spokeswoman Jill Dryden called the products a collectible item.
